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Marcus Freeman has said he is "all-in" with Notre Dame after the Fighting Irish head coach turned down interest from the NFL this offseason.
The 2026 college football season is drawing closer, with Notre Dame's fall camp due to begin on August 6 next month. Having lost its opening two games of the year to Miami and Texas A&M, the Fighting Irish went on a 10-game winning streak to finish the year 10-2.
But Notre Dame missed the College Football Playoff in spectacular fashion, with the CFP Selection Committee dropping them to No. 11 behind Miami. The 11th- and 12th-place spots in the College Football Playoff also went to the fourth- and fifth-highest-ranked conference champions, and with Notre Dame being an independent, that left them out of the National Championship, a year after losing the College Football Playoff final against Ohio State.
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Following the end of the 2025 season, Freeman was linked to a number of jobs at the next level. The 40-year-old ultimately opted to stay with Notre Dame. He announced his decision on social media, writing in a post, "2026...run it back," and adding "Go Irish."
Freeman's post did not feel like it was a commitment to Notre Dame beyond 2026. However, the Fighting Irish head coach has now reiterated he is "all-in" with the Fighting Irish for 2026 and beyond.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Freeman, who is entering his fifth season in charge of Notre Dame, said, via The Athletic, "I'm all-in. I've been all-in."
"I don't see myself being the head coach or coaching anywhere else."
The interest from the NFL was real, with Freeman linked to the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers. "I had some conversations with higher-ups in the NFL," Freeman told Esquire back in April.
Ultimately, those conversations led him to realize that he needed to stay in South Bend with Notre Dame. Back in December, he agreed to terms on a new deal with Notre Dame, which was also extended by a year through to 2031.
"There were times when I wanted to listen to some other people, and I did," added Freeman, speaking to reporters this week. "It confirmed that this is the place I want to be."
"I plan on being here as long as I can.
"If I do a good enough job and I’m able and wanted to be the head coach here, I want to stay the head coach here."
Notre Dame opens up its season on September 6 against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. However, the Fighting Irish could once again fall foul of what cost them a CFB playoff seeding last year, with their schedule looking weak.
Notre Dame does not play a team with a winning record until taking on BYU on October 17, its seventh game of the 2026 season. They will also face off against Miami on November 7, in what will serve as a real test for Notre Dame, given its weak schedule.
